CBG in Weed: What Is It and What Does It Do?

When you’re selecting a strain of weed to try, you’re probably looking at two cannabinoids. You want to know how much THC and how much CBD your weed contains. These cannabinoids are undoubtedly important, but they’re only two of over 113 recognized cannabinoids. They just so happen to occur in the highest concentrations and produce two of the most noticeable sets of effects. 

What many people don’t realize is that the full effects of their cannabis, whether it’s the kind of cannabis that intoxicates you or a perfectly mellow hemp flower, comes from the complete portrait of cannabinoids in unison. CBG is an important part of your weed, and some strains have more than others. 

What are cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are the naturally occurring compounds in the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids are not exclusive to cannabis. Other plants produce them, albeit in smaller amounts. The human body also produces cannabinoids to supply its endocannabinoid system, which impacts vital processes throughout the body.

Your body is full of cannabinoid receptors in your brain and in your organs. You even have cannabinoid receptors inside of your eyes. Your body produces its own cannabinoids and rapidly uses them via these receptors. Researchers are still trying to understand the exact quantity and utilization of these cannabinoids. Since they come and go so quickly, it’s hard to determine what normal endogenous cannabinoid levels would look like.

Cannabinoids from a cannabis plant are very similar to the cannabinoids your body already produces on its own (and is therefore already equipped to use). When you introduce cannabinoids from an outside source into your endocannabinoid system, your body will react to them in different ways. It all depends on the cannabinoid in question, which cannabinoids come in conjunction with each other, and how much of each cannabinoid is introduced. Cannabinoids like THC bind to your cannabinoid receptors to produce a high, among other effects. THC also acts as an appetite stimulant. People who use medicinal cannabis prefer THC over synthetic compounds for the management of the sensation of pain. 

CBD has become widely accepted by the mainstream as a non-intoxicating feel-good cannabinoid for its ability to promote relaxation. CBD’s role in most cannabis strains is to provide the “body high” sensation that most people experience with indica strains.

CBD without the THC still works wonders for helping people get better sleep and manage feelings of stress or tension. People like to use CBD before yoga, after hard workout, or when they’re ready to lay down and chill for the night. It supports the body’s natural ability to feel at ease.

These are two of many. Other cannabinoids are present in lesser amounts and may produce other effects, although they’re generally less noticeable due to their minimal presence. Some growers cultivate cannabis flowers with the specific intention of boosting these beneficial cannabinoids to amp up their effects.

What is CBG?

All major cannabinoids begin as something called CBGA, or cannabigerolic acid. The plant uses cannabigerolic acid to produce THCA, CBCA, and CBDA. These are the non-active forms of CBC, THC, and CBD. Almost all cannabinoids start their lives in this acid phase. You could ingest a wealth of THCA and never get high, because, in its acid form, THCA cannot do anything to your receptors.

Heat and light cause these cannabinoids to convert to forms that are useful to the body through a process called decarboxylation. When the naturally occurring plant acids are removed from these compounds, the compounds are able to interact with the receptors in your body’s endocannabinoid system.

Decarboxylation sounds complicated and technical. What it really means is “lighting your weed.” Your weed doesn’t become active until you spark up your joint or light your bowl. It’s the burning of the weed that causes the transformation to take place. That’s why eating an entire bud won’t do anything to get you high unless it has been decarboxylated for edibles first. 

CBG is CBGA that has converted directly. It never became another cannabinoid — it simply lost its acid. Since the cannabis plant is great at turning CBGA into other cannabinoids, weed with CBG is rare. Not much CBGA exists in the plant for very long. It’s almost always transformed into an acid form of another cannabinoid and then transformed once more into an active form.